The use of finite element analysis (FEA) in the design of packaging containers is known in the art. FEA has been used to simulate the interaction of containers as well as the interaction of containers and container handling system elements. Previous efforts have relied upon simplified specifications of each of the containers and the handling elements. The outputs of efforts utilizing such simplified or approximated specifications are themselves only approximations of reality.
Such outputs may be utilized to indicate trends or to suggest approximate performance levels but may not generally be relied upon as a substitute for the creation and evaluation of actual prototype packages and package handling systems. Prototyping packages is expensive and may limit the range of package designs which can be evaluated through actual package production. Package designers may be constrained in the design options that they are free to consider as budgets will not generally allow for extensive package prototyping.
Prototyping full packaging handling systems is more difficult and is not generally feasible due to time and cost constraints. Full systems must generally be used for production despite the discovery of less than acceptable design issues once actual use of the systems begins.
Once package and handling system designs have been finalized it is difficult and expensive to alter the designs. The exploration of “what if” package and system designs is limited when actual prototypes and/or handling systems are required for accurate evaluation of the scenario. Even if prototype packages are available, physical testing on an existing packing line may be impractical due to lost production time. What is desired is a more accurate method for simulating the interaction of proposed package designs with proposed package handling elements. What is desired are methods for evaluating package and system designs such that alternative designs may be accurately evaluated without the need for expensive actual prototypes and time-consuming physical testing. What is further desired are automated methods which may be rapidly set up and quickly processed without the need for high levels of computational sophistication on the part of the method user.